India, the Source of Spiritual Wisdom

Carlos Guzman from Mexico Discovers A Preceptor Nonpareil in India

Carlos Guzman

(Carlos Guzman is a Catholic Christian from Mexico. He wanted to become a priest and was searching for the truth of God. He had studied books on Western and Eastern philosophies and spirituality. Then, guided by ‘visions’, he reached India to search for his spiritual guide. That quest led him ultimately to Santhigiri Ashram and Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru. He narrates his story below.)

In 1991, I started having internal visions of an elderly and serene person calling me by extending his arms towards me. I did not attach much significance to this at first but as time passed, I felt my soul's urge to go abroad. I had many problems at this time in my life. Approximately three months after the first vision, I decided to talk to my wife about making a trip to India and some other countries where, through visions, I could perceive to have incarnated in different eras. For me, it was very important to make this trip because I knew that this Great Soul was not going to be in his body for many more years and that he had very important things for my spiritual development that only he could give me.

My wife agreed with me, and I started on my journey. My visions took me to Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, The Philippines, Nepal, Tibet and Sri Lanka. Visions guided me further to fly to India. In Madras (now Chennai) I meditated and was instructed to go south once again. I was puzzled because I was traveling from south to north till then, so I asked two more times, and the answer was the same. I was directed to take a map of India and immediately my eyes pointed to a place called Madurai. I had never heard that name in my life, but the instruction was clear: “Take a train to Madurai and you will receive an answer.” Then I asked, “Is this where I will find the Great Spiritual Master that I am looking for?” No answer was received. So, I bought a train ticket to Madurai. It was ten minutes before five; the train was going to depart at five o’clock. Then a man came inside the train. He looked at me without uttering a word and occupied the seat in front of me.

At that time, I felt my body shivering and goose pimples were all over my body. His name was Mr. Sundaramahalingam, father of Muthumani, an inmate of Santhigiri Ashram. I wished him good afternoon and he reciprocated. Without saying anything else, he took out a pen and a piece of paper from a small white suitcase and wrote down the following: “Sri Karunakara Guru, Santhigiri Ashram”, and then handed it to me.

A great emotion seized me from within because at that time I could sense that what was written on that small piece of paper had a direct connection with the Great Master that I was searching for. I asked him, “Why are you giving me this information?” And he replied, “I felt so, that is for you”. So, I told this man, “You do not know me, but I am from Mexico and while doing meditation I saw an elderly and serene person who was calling me by extending his arms towards me. I know he is a very important spiritual person.”

Then I asked him, “Do you think that the name that you wrote on this paper is that of the man from my visions?” He did not reply, so I asked once again, and the answer was affirmative. At that moment I was intuitively sure that I would reach my destination very soon. It was thus that I received the instructions on how to reach Santhigiri Ashram. When I arrived at the Ashram, standing in front of the main gate, I could see a hemisphere of white Prakasham (Radiance), just like an inverted crystal bowl that was covering everything and every single soul within the Ashram premises. I knew at once that it was connected to the Soul of this Great Master and that it nourished and purified all animate and inanimate matter. It was a unique vision, and tears rolled out of my eyes in the knowledge that the vibration of that Radiance was the same as the Radiance emanating from the man of my visions.

The Guru was not there at that time. Swami Jyothirmaya told me that he would return the next day, but a voice informed me that the Guru would not get back soon and that I had to go to where He was to meet Him. Nevertheless, I decided to wait till the next morning. I inquired again and the answer was the same: “Guru will return tomorrow, do not worry, you can stay here with us.” The voice once again insisted that I should leave the Ashram immediately. So, on that same day, I departed towards Cochin where the Guru was staying.

I got into the house where the Guru was, and the moment I sat down outside the entrance of the living room I could perceive a radiance of great density, waves of tremendous energy emanating from inside that house, from the room where the Guru was. I broke down and could not control my weeping. Minutes later someone said: “Guru is calling you.” I entered Guru’s chamber to see that the man from my visions was in front of me. It was the experience of a lifetime. I asked him: “Do you know me?” I corrected myself a second later, “Do you remember me? You and I have been together in so many births in different countries around the world!” He answered, “Yes, that is true.” A doubt flashed across my mind; maybe this great man had not placed me. So, my question was: “In how many births have we been together?” “In thousands of births,” Guru replied.

That answer made me certain that he knew perfectly about our relationship from past lives. That was the beginning of a great relationship, and I am sure that day was the most important in my whole life. As time went by, I started to understand the greatness of such a Guru. He is a fully realized Guru in the spiritual sense like no one else in this world. A few days later he gave me upadesha (initiation) and in visions I learned that He was more than a preceptor. He was the Creator of this local Universe: 9 planets (solar system), 12 divisions of the zodiac, and 27 constellations, which influence profoundly everything. The destiny of all living beings that inhabit this world is influenced by this system. He is a Soul with no limitations; His knowledge is complete and universal. I realized that I had to be closely attached to him, to his advice and radiance, because the spiritual evolvement that my soul could get through His Grace had no parallel with any other spiritual master. All this I perceived in visions.

In my visions, I can see the enormous difference between the Light within my soul before meeting the Guru and the actual position of my soul now. There is a huge difference in it. All these factors make Santhigiri Ashram a unique place of Light and Grace and Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru a Preceptor Nonpareil. I can testify about all these truths. Hundreds of other people from around the world and those living in Santhigiri Ashram can do so based on their spiritual visions. Some years ago, after the Guru left His physical body, I was doing meditation in his room, and I ‘saw’ Him sitting on the bed as in flesh and bones. I was completely astonished due to the clarity of that vision. Then the Guru said three phrases to me. He also told me that these phrases were not only for me but for the whole of humanity. Guru said:

I am here with you.

I am taking care of all of you.

It will be like this till eternity.

The main prayer at the Ashram is a hymn that was heard through clairvoyance, by two disciples of the Guru, as a Divine Voice originated from the ‘Void’. It must be recited for getting rid of all kinds of problems, for gaining virtue and good fortune. By chanting it, your spiritual evolution will be enormously increased, setting you on an expeditious track toward spiritual liberation. The Guru had predicted that after His merger with the Almighty, very special disciples would come up in this ‘Guru Parampara’. They will be born in the Ashram or other parts of this world, for continuing the transcendental work that the Guru started for the full liberation of mankind. This prediction has materialized in the Ashram through the Guru’s principal disciple Sishyapoojitha Amritha Jnana Thapaswini. This will continue to be fulfilled. The lofty idea of creating a society endowed with the qualities of truth, elevated morality, piety, justice, love, fraternity, kindness, and compassion; a society beyond caste, social position, and religion, promoting equality, world peace, and peace of mind is being materialized at Santhigiri through a purified virtuous lineage. This new generation will strengthen and consolidate the creation of a new world.”